The present invention relates to a device for preparing a drink from capsules containing a substance to be brewed in a brewing system forming part of the device. The present invention is more particularly to do with selecting and handling a capsule in such a device.
It is known practice to prepare drinks such as coffee from capsules containing a predetermined amount of ground roasted coffee. Capsules have the advantage of simplifying the operations of preparing the drink, ensuring clean preparation without leaving visible grounds, and giving precise control over the quantity and quality of the prepared product, all in a reproducible manner.
In general terms, the method of brewing the contents of a capsule consists in (i) enclosing the capsule in a pressure-resistant chamber, (ii) piercing one of the faces of the capsule, usually by means of spike(s) or blade(s) situated in a part with a water inlet also referred to as the “bath”, (iii) introducing a quantity of hot water into the capsule to create an environment at a pressure of several bar inside the component to produce the liquid coffee extract, and then (iv) releasing the liquid coffee extract through the opposite face of the capsule, which, when contacted by projecting parts, opens due to the internal pressure created inside the capsule. The advantage of this method of brewing from capsules arises from the fact that the brewing conditions (particularly temperatures, pressures and times) can be controlled because both the contents and packaging of the capsules are made under precisely controlled conditions.
In most commercially available brewing devices, the capsules are loaded by hand individually into the brewing capsule holder, which usually corresponds to the base part from which the liquid extract is then poured. The capsule holder may come in a variety of forms, usually in the form of a spoon with bayonet engagement as in traditional expresso machines, or in the form of movable jaws that close under the action of a toggle mechanism. There are also capsule loading systems of the movable drawer type for transferring the capsule in a simplified loading movement—linear horizontal or other—into the brewing system. Such a system is described in European application 1 153 561. However, these systems only take a limited number of capsules inserted into the system by the user himself or herself.
There is however a need for capsules to be fed from a capsule store without the need for the capsule to be handled directly but instead encouraging a more automated placing of the capsules in the brewing system. There is also a need to provide stores for capsules of either the same or different kinds, while also being very easy to fill. Certain systems have already been described in patent publications. For example, Swiss patent application No. 471,570 relates to automatic coffee machines comprising a mechanism for heating and dispensing water, a mechanism for storing filled cartridges containing coffee powder interacting with a receiving disc and transporting the cartridges in order to place them in front of a hot-water discharge nozzle and remove the cartridges after infusion; all these mechanisms being operated by motors in a synchronized configuration. The cartridges are transported individually from hoppers on a disc with holes, to a pressurized water outlet. Such a device is rudimentary and is not designed to supply a modem brewing system in which the enclosure is completely closed around the capsule in order for brewing to take place under precisely controlled and reproducible conditions of pressure, time and temperatures. Moreover, ejecting the cartridge from the disc requires dislodging the cartridge from the disc by lifting the cartridge, which can lead to problems with jamming and recovery.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,832 relates to a device for supplying portions of ground coffee to a brewing unit having a magazine able to hold a plurality of portions of coffee and means for discharging individual portions into the feeder device. The capsule discharging system is relatively complex and uses several pairs of catches operated by pairs of operating components which are themselves controlled by an electromagnet. Each series or tube of portions of coffee possesses its own unloading components rendering the system relatively complex, inefficient and expensive. In addition, the system demands great precision and perfect synchronization of the movements of the discharging components, which must act at the same time to prevent the portions of coffee becoming stuck in the system. With repeated cycles and with wear of the parts, such a system may prove to be unreliable and prone to more or less serious failures. Another problem is that the brewing chamber receiving the portion must pivot sideways to line up with the direction of the brewing support, before moving upwards to meet said support in a linear movement. The repeated combination of complex movements on several axes is likely to affect the precision of the brewing system, to modify the brewing conditions in the course of time, encourage premature wear of mechanical parts and so reduce the reliability and life of the device. Another disadvantage is that the brewing occurs in an upward direction, the extracted liquid passing out at the top of the brewing support, so a tube to the cup filling point has to be provided. Such a configuration poses problems of draining the liquid.
The invention now provides seeks to overcome the disadvantages of the known devices of the prior art.